Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-27
The Prcsbytery Of Winchester.

Presbytery met in Front Royal, Va,
April 2Cth. Present: Sixteen ministers
and sixteen elders-a small attendance,
eight ministers being absent and TWEEN
ty-four churches not represented. Rev.
j. H. Moore was elected moderator.
OF the forty churches on the roll
thirty-seven sent up reports. 1t ap-
peared from these reports that there
had been a goodly number of accessions
to the church membership, but very
serious decrease in contributions TO
benevolence. Winchester Presbytery
is generally regarded as well organized
and heads the list in the percentage OF
contributing churches. but the deficit
in contributions was considered of such
grave importance that a special COM
mittee was appointed to devise means
for remedying the present state OF al
fairs.
Two new churches have been organ
lied during the past year and one re-
ceiyed from another presbytery. The
church at Davis, Tucker county, w.
Va, a missionary field hitherto, has
called and will secure the pastoral ser
vices of Rev. Dir. Woodworth, and IN
connection with other points will form
a self sustaining charge.
Woodstock church was given leave to
prosecute call for the Rev. L. Z.
EpCs before East Hanover Presbytery.
We have four or five other vacant fields.
The Committee On Home Missions
$50 ,,,tl,,,,t,aA d, ,,'nu opu or nil nf
our seven candidates during their yaca-
tion.
Thepresbytery is TO meet next fall
at the Cedar-Creck church, September
It'll
Rev. George ". Finley was elected
principal ministerial commissioner TO
the General Assembly, Rev. NJ. W.
Woodwork alternate and of the ell
ders Mr.. II. A. LuptOn is principal and
Mr.. &. Boyd Harlan alternate.
The subject Of organic union with the
Northern Church awakened more gen
eral interest than any other. and after
discussion the following paper was
adopted with only two or three dissent
ing voices:
Whereas the question of organic
union between the Northern and South
ern Presbyterian Churches is being dis
cussed and agitated, and such union is
proposed and advocated by some mem
beers of our own Southern Church, and
oyertures have been sent up by some of
our presbyteries to the General Assem-
bly, looking TO such union: therefore
ReSOiued, That while we emphati-
eally disclaim all want OF charity and
every feeling of bitterness or i'll will to-
ward our brethren of the Northern
Church, and while we can, and do, in
all sincerity bid them Godspeed in
their labors in that great common cause
in which we are co-workers with them
and while We sincerely desire to Guilt
yate with them the truest fraternal re-
lations, and to cooperate in all practi-
cable efforts to promote the cause of
our common Lord, the presbytery ex-
presses it as its deliberate judgment
that the peace, unity, and prosperity of
our own Church and the best interests
of both Churches, and of the cause of
religion in all our borders, demand that
we shall maintain, as at present, our
separate and independent position as
the General Assembly of the Presbyte-
rian Church in the United States and
that the further agitation OF this ques-
ton of organic union is unwise and
calculated to produce discord and divi-
sion, and to prevent that harmony and
united effort in the Church's work
which are so much to be desired and
we do hereby overture the General AS
sembly TO take no action looking to-
ward such organic union of the
Churches.
After the usual vote of thanks pres
bytery adjourned Saturday afternoon.
".